Opposition Leader calls for probe into comptroller’s vehicle

Opposition leader, Arnhim Eustace is calling on the government and relevant authorities to do a thorough investigation into the matter surrounding comptroller of Customs and Excise Grenville John and a vehicle that he imported into this country last month.{{more}}

In the February 27, 2015 issue of SEARCHLIGHT, it was reported that when John imported the 2005 Silver Suzuki Escudo on February 19, he did not present an invoice to the Customs Department. Instead, he cleared the vehicle on the basis of a bill of sight, with an assessed CIF value of US$6,500, which other importers are alleging is more than fifty per cent below the cost of such vehicles.

“The Customs is responsible for the bulk of revenue that comes to this country and that post is a critical post. It is not enough to have newspaper articles and so on. The matter must be thoroughly investigated and necessary action taken. We cannot afford at this time to have those kinds of allegations made. We

must investigate them and deal with the matter promptly,” Eustace said during the New Times radio programme yesterday.

The Opposition Leader observed that the country has been under a lot of “fiscal stress” and described the matter as “most unbecoming” if it turns out that the allegations being made about John are true.

In his explanation to SEARCHLIGHT, the comptroller stated that he does not have an invoice for the vehicle and it is not uncommon for a used vehicle to be cleared on a bill of sight, as opposed to an invoice.

John also presented invoices that showed that similar vehicles, recently imported by other persons, have been assessed by Customs to have comparable values. He insisted that no favour had been granted to him. (BK)